Sunday, July 31

We were up around 7 a.m. this morning, and after a breakfast of banana bread with cream cheese, fresh fruits, and coffee, we got ready for our trip home. Mother, Sis, and I sat outside to enjoy the morning, while Hubbie prepared the camper.

A light mist was on the placid lake this morning. The geese, following their leader, leisurely floated near shallow water grasses to begin their morning feeding. A while later, the mist burned off, leaving the lake mirror like. Jewel-green trees on the hill on the other side of the lake reflected off the surface, creating the effect of a water color painting.

By about 9:30, Hubbie had finished preparing the camper to be hooked to the truck, and once I'd helped him with that task, we were ready to head out. Sis went to a nearby gas station/store to buy ice, fill her car, and wait for us while we visited the dump station. Then she followed us for the two-hour trip to the exit to her home, and we continued for another two hours to our home, stopping once just long enough to make PB&J sandwiches to have with chips and cookies as we traveled. It was just too stifling hot to eat in the camper.

We arrived home around 2 p.m., and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening unloading the camper, washing clothes, and doing other chores related to getting organized after a trip.

We had a wonderful few days, though we missed the usual fireworks event at the festival this year. It was cancelled due to the high fire danger from lack of rain. At one of the wineries, a staff member told us that a few days earlier, a couple of young boys had been playing with fireworks and started a fire that burned down two homes. Thank goodness no one was injured, but I feel sorry for both the families who lost their homes, and the families of the boys, who will no doubt be held responsible and have to pay for damages.

Also this year, the prison band did not perform, as it has every other year that we've attended. Usually, too, there is a horse and buggy ride available, but not this year.

I think there was a smaller crowd at the festival this year, too. Heat and the economy obviously took their toll. But except for being extremely hot, the festival was still fun. The town where the festival is held is not far from the area of the state that has had the highest temperatures this summer. For weeks, the temps have been above 100 degrees, with intolerable heat indices.

It was nice to get home, and kick back after our chores to read the Sunday newspaper and veg in front of TV. Since it's an unusually hot summer, it'll probably be several weeks before we venture out with the camper again.